The objectives of the Center are to provide service and to conduct and promote clinical and basic research by (a) educating the population about the disease, and providing information and counseling to those who carry the abnormal genes; (b) educating medical, allied health service personnel, and other professionals in the study and care of patients with sickle cell anemia; (c) providing the opportunity for quality testing to anyone who desires such a service; (d) conducting clinical research through an analysis of the factors determining the severity of sickle cell anemia in adults; a study of sickle cell anemia and other hemoglobinopathies in young children; and a cardiac evaluation of children with sickle cell anemia; (e) conducting basic research through studies of hemoglobin aggregatin by X-ray diffraction and circular dichroism; immunological identificaton and characterization of hemoglobin variants; and investigations of factors influencing the expression of the Hb BetaS gene through analyses of hemoglobin components.